


The Cuff Confession

by dani_dabbles



Series: 5 Times Alec’s son embarrasses him + 1 time Alec gets him back [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Luke Garroway/Maryse Lightwood, Background Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Backstory, Cute Kids, Date Nights In, Doctor Alec Lightwood, Embarrassed Alec Lightwood, Fluff, Good Parent Alec Lightwood, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Mundane Alec Lightwood, Mundane Magnus Bane, No Angst, Not Beta Read, Real Estate Agent Magnus Bane, Single Parent AU, Single Parent Alec Lightwood, Soft Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Supportive Isabelle Lightwood, Thirsty Alec Lightwood, Thirsty Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dani_dabbles/pseuds/dani_dabbles
Summary: Alec's son knows too much.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: 5 Times Alec’s son embarrasses him + 1 time Alec gets him back [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1674952
Comments: 37
Kudos: 265





	The Cuff Confession

**Author's Note:**

> It's been too long since I posted and I kinda hate it. Quarantine and working from home really drained all will to write out of me though. But I'm finally back at it. Forewarning, this is pretty dialogue heavy and has a lot of backstory. I want to be bothered by both of those things but I wrote several thousand words in just a few days after several months on writing hiatus. So, mostly I'm too busy rejoicing in the renewed motivation to care. 
> 
> As with everything I write, this is not beta read. If you find any glaring mistakes, let me know.
> 
> Find me on Twitter @dani_dabbles and use the hashtag #danidabbles if you feel like discussing or commenting there. I love to hear your feedback!
> 
> Stay safe and healthy <3

“So what time is the infamous Magnus Bane going to be here?” Izzy questions from her perch on his kitchen island.

Alec looks to the clock on the kitchen wall, “Seven o’clock. Which means you have to be out of here in the next twenty minutes.” He gives his sister a pointed look.

“Like hell! No way am I leaving before meeting the man my big brother can’t stop gushing over.” She grins and pops another appetizer into her mouth from the plate between her and Maddox.

“Stop that!” He swats her away from the bruschetta and starts to re-arrange the food, hiding the fact several are now missing due to his son and sister’s greedy fingers. As an afterthought, Alec shoots back, “And I don’t gush.”

“Yes you do.” Izzy and Maddox reply at the same time.

Damn. Betrayed by his own child. 

Alec quirks a dubious eye at Maddox, “Do you even know what  _ gush  _ means?”

“Yep!” He relies cheerfully legs swinging, “It’s what your face does when you talk about Magnus. It gets all red and you make a goofy smile like this,” His features twist into an exaggerated grimace-like smile, as he bats his eyelashes.

Izzy snorts with laughter then reaches over and gives her nephew a high-five. 

Alec points at them, “I do  _ not  _ look like that.”

Maddox only shrugs. “Whatever you say, Dad.”

He chooses to ignore the snark, “Alright, time for you to get down.” He hoists his son off the kitchen counter and directs him out of the room, “Go get your backpack. Aunt Izzy is ready to leave.”

“Okay!” Izzy and Alec watch him dash out of the kitchen and around the corner, feet thundering down the hall.

“And put your shoes on!” Alec calls after him, knowing full well Maddox will spend 0.2 seconds looking for them before coming back proclaiming he can’t find them.

Once he’s gone, Izzy turns back to Alec, “Congratulations on the sex, by the way.”

Alec whips his head back to his sister, “What?”

She shrugs slightly, talking through yet another stolen bite of food, “I guess it’s more of a premature congratulations since it hasn’t happened yet. But since we all know that’s how this night is going to end, I thought I should congratulate you now instead of calling you in the morning.”

Sputtering, Alec asks, “Wait. We? Who the hell is ‘we’?!”

Izzy brushes the crumbs from her hands before ticking off her fingers, “Me, Simon, Jace, and Clary, of course. But also Mom, Luke and Max. Don’t expect them all to give you the same courtesy I just did. Especially not Jace. I think he has an alarm set on his phone to call you.”

“Oh my god.” Alec drags heavy hands down his face. “I hate you all,” he declares, then turns around and begins to pull plates and wine glasses down from the cabinet. 

“Oh, come on, Alec. You and Magnus have been dating for what? Two months? You invited him to your place, you are cooking him dinner and you are kid-free for the night. Your intentions could not be more obvious unless you spelled out ‘Please have sex with me’ in the damned marinara sauce.”

Alec refuses to turn around to look at her, instead he pulls utensils out the drawer. He wants to deny it and avoid this like the goddamned plague. But who the hell would he be kidding? It’s exactly where he hopes this night will go. And if the home cooked meal with candles and wine wasn’t clue enough, the new sheets on his bed and the condoms and lube in his nightstand were pretty fucking clear.

But my god, he didn’t need to hear his baby sister state it so bluntly. Or know that his entire freaking family was invested in him getting laid tonight. That thought alone blows the doors wide open for old insecurities to come waltzing in. Was he really so pitiful that his family was cheering for him to have sex? What about Magnus? Alec is fairly certain Magnus understood the subtext of his dinner invite. Not to mention their last few dates have ended with some pretty heavy groping in the back of Ubers. But it wasn’t pity sex, was it? Did he come across too desperate? Alec hadn’t told Magnus anything specific, but the man knew Alec had not been in a real relationship for years. And it’s not like Alec came out and said,  _ By the way, I haven’t had sex in a year. _ But what if it was obvious? And oh fuck...it has been a  _ year _ ! What if he’s so out of practice he’s terrible at it now? Are those skills you can even forget? And is this too soon? What if Magnus isn’t ready to sleep with him yet? Or at all? And what if...

“Alec!” 

He blinks and realizes he’s been blindly staring at the cabinet in front of his face while his thoughts spiral. He glances at his sister over his shoulder knowing panic is written all over his face. “Stop freaking out, big brother.”

He allows himself a few deep inhales then turns and leans back against the counter. His family may be overly involved in his personal life, but he values their opinion. Particularly Izzy’s. He can’t think of any point in his life when he didn’t value his sister’s thoughts. Even if the topic was... _ this _ . “Okay. Let’s - let’s say,  _ hypothetically _ , I want that tonight. Is it too soon?” 

Izzy considers him with her head slightly tilted, “What do you mean?”

“I mean...I don’t know.” He draws his shoulders in hating how vulnerable he feels. “It’s been two months. And things are going well. Scary well. I don’t want to mess it up. I don’t want to rush anything and scare him off. It’s just that there’s something about him...sleeping together feels like a big step. Like it’s significant and important, you know? I can’t help but worry he might not feel the same? I mean, I’m already a lot for someone to take. A demanding job. A child. I don’t want him to feel any obligation to commit to that. It feels like too much to ask.

Isabelle jumps down from the island and steps into his space reaching to adjust the sleeves of his green sweater, another thing she gave her opinion on. “Alec. You are not too much. Maddox is not too much. And if Magnus ever gives you that impression, then please kick his ass to the curb. Or sleep with him and then kick his ass to the curb.” He fixes her with an unamused glare. 

Izzy remains unperturbed, “Seriously, brother, you could use the stress relief. Get rid of some built up tension at least. I know this feels like a big deal. But it doesn’t have to be. Having sex with a man you are attracted to doesn’t have to be anything more than that. It can just be sex. A fun time. If it's what you want - what he wants - and it makes you happy, then go for it. As for all the other stuff -  _ the commitment stuff _ \- that’s a conversation you need to have with Magnus.”

Alec looks down to where she has rolled up his sleeves to reveal more of his arms, “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I’m overthinking this. Thanks Iz. It’s just - I really like him.” He gives her a weak smile. 

She wraps him in a hug. “I know you do, big brother.”

He squeezes her a bit, his chin resting on the top of her head, “Hey, Iz.”

“Yeah”

“Tell Jace if he calls me in the morning, I have extensive knowledge of the human body and access to sharp medical equipment. I will end him.”

She pulls back, giving him an eye roll as Maddox reappears.

Alec looks down at his son, surprised to see shoes on his feet. Miracles can happen apparently. “Did you pack a few toys? It’s about time for you and Aunt Izzy to leave.”

“Yep!” the boy says triumphantly while trying to lift up his Marvel backpack. He struggles with the weight of it.

“What do you have in there?” Alec takes the bag from his son and opens the zipper. “There are almost 75 Hot Wheels in here! Nope. Absolutely not. Go put some back. You don’t need to take all of these with you.”

“But-”

“Nope. Go put some of them back.” He offers the bag back to his son and Maddox grumbles, bag dragging behind him back down the hall to his room. 

“You’re such a spoilsport,  _ Dad _ .” Izzy chimes in on her nephew’s behalf.

“You’ll thank me later when you aren’t stepping on them in the middle of night.”

A ping sounds from Alec’s phone on the counter, he leans over to check the message, “Magnus is on his way up. Which means you two are on your way  _ out _ .” 

Alec begins jostling his sister out of his kitchen toward the foyer and calling out to Maddox as he does, “Come on, buddy! Time to go!”

“Okay, okay, okay.” the little boy says, coming toward them with a substantially lighter backpack dragging behind him. 

“Here, it's a little cool tonight,” Alec plucks jackets off the hooks in the entryway, tossing Izzy hers, then kneeling to help Maddox slide his arms into his own. He has just finished zipping it when the doorbell sounds. 

Izzy tries to launch herself toward the handle but Alec manages to catch her wrist. “Oh no you don’t. I at least get to welcome him into my home before you accost him.” 

Izzy huffs and crosses her arms in a pout. 

Alec practically throws open the door, a smile already forming for the man on the other side, “Magnus. Hi. Come in.” He steps back to let his boyfriend cross the threshold, greedily cataloguing the details of his appearance. The view does not disappoint and he blurts out an unbidden, “Wow…” 

After two months, Alec thought he would be accustomed to the Magnus Bane aesthetic. Everyone knew Alec was not versed in the intricacies of fashion and design. He had three requirements for his own clothing: versatile, tailored, and comfortable. And while Izzy tutted over his lack of designer labels, he always dressed appropriately enough to pass her muster. As for the men he dated, Alec always appreciated a man that dressed tastefully. But that didn’t mean he could recall the details of their outfit the next day. And he definitely didn’t create an entire mental portfolio of their wardrobe. Magnus Bane was turning out to be the exception. 

It started with the waistcoat Magnus had been wearing when they first met. Alec had never given this particular article of clothing much thought. But the image of Magnus’ broad chest encased in silk and brocade had stuck with him for days. Then there was the impromptu lunch date that second week where Alec has spent a good portion of it marveling at how Magnus managed to look so suave while wearing gold and black striped trousers. And somewhere in Magnus’ closet hung a jacket with beaded epaulettes that caught Alec’s curiosity. His fingers had traced the shoulder detailing, toying with the intricate design before moving to the lines of Magnus’ jaw and finally coming to rest at the nape of his neck before pulling him in for their first kiss. Then there was the red and gold  _ sheer  _ tunic. God...Alec doesn’t even remember what he ordered at dinner on that particular night. But his favorite piece was probably a black shirt with lines of purple Magnus had worn just a few days ago. It was tame by Magnus Bane standards. But Alec particularly liked how it had looked after being mistreated by his exploring hands. The bottom rucked up and pulled loose from Magnus’ waistband, the normally smooth, silky material rumpled and creased. Ever since then Alec had been thinking less about how Magnus’ clothes looked on him and more about how they would look strewn across the floor. 

So, naturally Magnus has to walk into Alec’s home looking like  _ this _ , in black from head to toe with suede boots, skinny jeans, a v-neck tee shirt stretched thin over his broad chest and a stunning black blazer embroidered with bold red arrows. Alec wonders if Magnus would be open to leaving it on when...

Izzy cuts in, “I think what my brother was trying to say, before he choked up on his own drool, is that your jacket is  _ ah-mazing _ ,” She steps forward and extends her hand in greeting, “I’m Isabelle. Sister to Doctor McDrooly here” she nods at her brother then smiles down at Maddox “and Aunt Extrordinaire to this one.”

With a chuckle Magnus accepts her hand, bowing slightly to press a kiss to her knuckles, “The infamous Isabelle Lightwood. I’m honored to finally meet the woman these two gentlemen talk incessantly about.”

“As they should,” Izzy states with her unique brand of conceit. “Now Alec, are you capable of words again?” she asks with a raised brow trained on him.

Alec clears his throat, “ _ Yes _ . And I better never hear ‘Doctor McDrooly’ ever again.” Grabbing Magnus’ ringed hand, Alec presses the back of it to his lips, “She’s right though. You look amazing. I’m sorry my sister complimented you before I did.”

“Alexander, I take great effort in trying to render you speechless. Stealing your words may be my most celebrated achievement.” Magnus winks.

Doing his best to sound reproachful, Alec says, “It’s not nice to steal, Magnus. Robbing me of the opportunity to tell you how gorgeous you are. It’s criminal. I could have you arrested.”

Maddox pipes up, reminding the adults of his presence, “He can, Magnus! Daddy has handcuffs in his room!” 

Their reactions are instant. Isabelle erupts into a cackle. Magnus gives Alec a wide-eyed yet devilishly scandalized look. And Alec gapes at his son.  _ How the hell… _

“Okay!” He interjects a bit too loudly, “Time to go, you two!” He grabs for the door handle to usher Izzy and Maddox out.

“Bye Dad!” Maddox darts forward to hug his side. 

Alec returns the hug, “Bye Maddox, please be good for Aunt Izzy and Uncle Simon alright.”

“I will.” the boy takes his aunt’s hand, pulling her out the door while offering Magnus his own goodbye, “Bye Magnus! Daddy made pasta and it's actually good.” He’s out the door before Alec can be properly offended. Instead he waves to his sister, who only returns it with a knowing wink.

Once the door clicks shut behind them, Alec turns to face Magnus. “I feel the need to clarify that those handcuffs were a crude joke for my 30th birthday from my sister.  _ And  _ I can make more than just pasta that’s good!”

Magnus gives Alec a comforting pat on the shoulder but the glee in his eyes and the way his lips twitch against a smile betrays his sincerity, “I’m sure they were, darling.”

Alec gives him a narrow look, “You don’t believe me.”

Magnus’ smile wins out, ”Not one bit.” There is heat in the amber of his eyes, “But either way, you should know...it would be a green from me.”

There is a brief lapse in conversation while Alec’s brain fully processes what Magnus is insinuating. And holy shit he is not ready to unload all of the implications behind that statement.

Deciding not to comment further, afraid they will start devouring each other and not the food he has prepared, Alec grins and gestures toward the living space, “Come on. Dinner should be ready. And you can confirm or deny my son’s assessment of my cooking.”

~*~

Some time later, the remnants of dinner remain on the table, the lights are down low and the two have relocated to the living room. They sit close on the beige sofa, angled toward each other, knees bumping.

“Come on, Alexander! You can tell me! Are they pink and fuzzy? Or actual cold, hard metal?”

Alec had hoped his son’s early remark would be forgotten, but of course Magnus has taken it as an opportunity to tease him shamelessly. “Oh my god, Magnus, I don’t even remember! They were a gag gift from my sister who has absolutely no boundaries.” 

Magnus only gives him a deadpanned look.

“Seriously. I made the mistake of  _ sarcastically _ saying the only way I’d get a guy to sleep with me was to tie him to my bed. Needless to say, Izzy had a field day with that. So, when my birthday came around...well, she claims she was only trying to be helpful. I, on the other hand, threw them into the depths of my closet and forgot about it. I shouldn’t be surprised Maddox found them though,” he remarks with an eye roll.

“Makes you wonder who else he has told about them,” Magnus muses.

Alec sputters on the sip of wine he is taking. His head lolls back in exasperation, “Thanks for that. Now every time I look his babysitter in the eye I’m going to have to wonder what she has been told.”

Magnus snorts in laughter and then Alec is joining him. Because having possibly intimate details of your love life shared with half strangers is not something anyone prepares you for when you have a child.

Magnus is still snickering and shaking his head as he takes a drink from his own glass.

Alec watches him for a moment before asking, “So why have you never asked me?”

Magnus quirks a brow in perplexion. “Well I would love to ask the question you’re asking me to ask Alexander, but I might need a little bit more context to ask the unasked question?”

Alec shakes his head with a fond smile. This man. With a smile still lingering, Alec explains, “I’m referring to Maddox. You never ask about him. Actually, no. You ask me about him all the time, which...god...is unprecedented to say the least. But what I’m talking about is you’ve never asked me how he came about or how we became a family. For an explanation.”

“Oh.” Magnus says, slightly taken aback. “Do you want me to ask? Because I have no right to that story, if you aren’t ready to tell it.”

That’s the thing. Alec wants to tell him. He wants Magnus to know his family. The fact that Magnus never once questioned Maddox’s presence in Alec’s life, never asked Alec how he “got him” as so many other dates have - that’s why Alec is more than comfortable sharing the story with him. 

Alec shifts his position on the couch, pulling his feet up and turning himself more toward Magnus without sloshing the wine over the rim of the glass, “Ask me.”

“Alright.” Magnus leans forward and sets his own glass on the low table in front of them, then straightens himself and brushes off invisible dust from his pants. He sits up straight facing Alec, “Alexander, how did you become blessed with such an adorable and precocious child? What sort of deal did you make with the universe?” 

“There were no supernatural dealings, sorry to disappoint. Only a somewhat lonely doctor that felt he wasn’t doing enough.”

Magnus sinks down into the cushions, elbow resting on the back of the sofa propping his head up. Once he is comfortable, Magnus nudges Alec with his knee. “Tell me,” he whispers.

Alec allows himself another generous gulp of wine, before he launches into the story, “I had just started working in the emergency department, but long enough to have seen some depressing shit. It was late one night, a family came in and said their son had fallen. They claimed the boy hit his head fairly hard and were concerned. He was maybe around five years old? The nurses settled him into a bed and I checked him over. I didn’t see anything externally significant, but I went ahead and ordered a CT scan to rule out a concussion.

It should have been a red flag something wasn’t right when neither parent wanted to accompany the boy into the scanning room. But people have weird reactions to hospitals and medical equipment all the time, so the nurses and techs didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until the boy returned to his room and his parents were nowhere to be found, we understood.”

Even now, the anger he felt that night lingers. He gives the wine in his hand a troubled look, but it holds no answers as to why people do the terrible things they do. He looks to Magnus, “They abandoned him. They just...left him. The police and Child Protective Services came to interview him, trying to figure out what was happening. Later we found out those were his adoptive parents. He had been in the system before, had been given a forever home and then had been abandoned at our hospital a short time later.”

Alec sigh, “I laid awake after my shift thinking of that kid back in a group home. A little boy who had probably no idea what a loving home was. I just - it made me so incredibly sad, you know? But also guilty? I grew up privileged, and while our parents divorced, everything was amicable. They stayed a team, made sure myself and my siblings wanted for nothing, especially love and affection. I have two parents, two stepparents and two homes. All I could think was that I had double of everything and he had nothing. I was - and am - so entirely blessed but that night it felt like an injustice. Because this little boy had done nothing in his short five years to deserve the life he was dealt. When I finally rolled out of bed the next day, I knew I was going to do something.”

Magnus frowns as he processes Alec’s words, “But that little boy, he couldn’t have been Maddox?”

“No, he wasn’t,” Alec says with a shake of his head, “but that day I started researching how to become a foster parent. Some people thought I was crazy...okay, most people thought I was crazy. And maybe I was. I was young. I should have been out partying on my days off. Living it up as some of my friends liked to remind me. But that wasn’t me anyway. And this felt more important. I had the funds, a home with an extra room. There was no reason I couldn’t offer kids like him a safe place, even if it was temporary, even if it was to keep them out of a state facility for a few nights.” 

Alec finishes off his wine and places his glass next to Magnus’ on the table. “I thought maybe being single and gay would deture them from approving me, but luckily it was not the case. After going through the proper classes, I gained my certification and I started taking in kids as needed. Usually, it was only for a few days, maybe weeks. If the child needed it, I would buy them a few new outfits or new shoes before they went on to their next placement. Anything I could do to make the shit they were experiencing just a little be less horrible.”

Alec picks unconsciously at his nails while talking, not quite meeting Magnus’ eyes. He always felt a little defensive explaining this part of his life. He’d had his choices, his intentions, questioned more often than not, both about fostering and adopting. He didn’t really fear a negative reaction from Magnus. Everything about the man radiates kindness and acceptance. But what Alec did not expect when his eyes drifted up, was to find the man next to him nearly falling apart. There is a slight shake in the hand Magnus presses to his mouth and tears hang suspended at the corner of his eyes threatening to drag eyeliner down his cheeks. “God, Alec…”

Alec watches him somewhat warily as Magnus manages to collect himself enough to continue talking, “You have no idea what you’ve done for those children. To be shown compassion and love, even briefly, can sometimes make all the difference.” He shudders out a breath, “I would know, I was one of them.”

“What?” Alec breathes out.

Magnus nods with a watery smile. “For me it was a restaurant. My birth mother went to pay the check and never returned to the table to fetch me. I was eight.”

Alec scooches closer and takes Magnus hand in his. “Tell me?”

“Hm, I can’t really remember the details of that day anymore. Only the feelings I was experiencing mostly. But after that? Foster care. Three foster homes, to be exact, over the course of four years. Always just long enough I felt I could settle and feel at home. Then for whatever reason, I’d be moved to another house, another set of parents. None of those placements were awful, mind you. I think I was fairly lucky comparatively. But I was usually with at least one or two other children and I just felt...unseen.” Magnus gives Alec a lovely half smile, “I was 12 years old when my family found me.” 

He must see the uncertainty Alec knows flicks across his features because he clarifies, “Not my birth family. My true family. My mom and dad. The ones who showed me kindness, gave me time to heal, accepted me and only had unconditional love. Without Cat and Ragnor I shudder to think what my present situation would be. Instead, I finished growing up on the Upper East Side, never wanted for anything, got a thorough education and acquired my dad’s British level snobbiness on tea. I have been able to make a good life for myself because twenty years ago a young couple took one look at a skinny, preteen boy jaded by the world and thought “Yep, he’s ours.” Magnus shakes his head in fondness. “I’ve asked them countless times over the years, ‘ _ Why me?’  _ But their response has always been ‘ _ Why not you?’ _ ” With a little laugh Magnus says, “They are ridiculous, and I love them.”

He squeezes Alec’s hand, “So tell me, when did Maddox enter your life?”

The question has Alec smiling back. “When I least expected it, as cliche as it sounds. At the time I only took in grade school children and young teens. Then the social worker called me at 3AM on a random Tuesday saying she had an infant that needed immediate emergency placement, would I take him? Magnus, you should know, I don’t make impulse decisions. Even fostering, while unexpected was not impulsive. I rely on an unhealthy amount of research and time to make big life decisions. But I’m forever grateful my sleep addled brain did not stop my mouth from saying yes that night. And just like that, I had less than 4 hours to prepare to take care of a  _ newborn _ . So, I did what any self-respecting young adult man does in a time of need.”

“You called your mom?”

Alec laughs, “You bet your ass I did. I woke her up at 3:45 in the morning yelling in panic. Let me tell you, the universe should never test Maryse Garroway. Because at 6AM she was at my door with a bassinet, bottles, formula and every other essential item I could possibly need to care for the baby arriving at my door any moment. I still have no clue how she managed it. But then the social worker was here handing me the tiniest human I’d ever seen. And everything changed. I took a few days off work and Mom stayed with me for a bit. I was scared shitless 95% of the time but also completely fascinated by everything he did. I was completely enamored...”

Alec pauses his story when he realizes he has been playing with Magnus rings and absently tracing his palms while talking. In the privacy of his thoughts, Alec can’t help but think  _ enamored _ was damn near what he was feeling now as well. Three words reverberate inside his head. They are scary and exciting and holding them in takes an exorbitant amount of effort. However, he's not quite ready to speak them into existence. He wants a little bit more time to become accustomed to their significance. Soon though. Soon he’d share them. But for now, Magnus seems content to allow Alec’s exploration of his jewelry and hands, so Alec continues.

“After a few weeks, I finally felt like I had the hang of this baby-thing. I didn’t take on any more kids during that time. I wanted Maddox to have my full attention, which he required anyway. On the three month mark the social worker called me to say Maddox was eligible for adoption, they had several strong candidates and he would be leaving soon. I think she expected me to be relieved. Instead, I hung up the phone and cried the rest of the day. It took my mom and step-dad scolding me for being an idiot, dialing the social worker and handing me the phone to do what I knew I wanted. When she answered I asked her how I could apply for Maddox’s adoption.”

Alec finally releases his hold on Magnus and surveys the room with the basket of toys in the corner, the Dr. Suess books sitting among his sci-fi novels, and the numerous crayon drawings displayed on the walls, “Accepting that initial phone call is the best decision I’ve ever made at 3AM.”

Magnus leans in and presses a light kiss to Alec’s lips, “You, Alexander, are a very exceptional man. It sounds like you and Maddox are very lucky to have found each other.”

“I can assure you, I'm a very ordinary man. I have only done what countless others have done and are doing.” Alec says, returning a light kiss of his own. Magnus looks like he wants to argue but settles for exchanging lazy kisses instead.

After several minutes Magus pulls back with a sigh, “I suppose it’s getting late...” Magnus taps his watch and both men see it light up with the time. Hours, they’ve been talking for hours and it's well after midnight.

Alec feels Magnus shift next to him, away from him, as he stands up from the sofa. Alec watches him stretch cat-like, working away the stiffness from sitting so long. 

Magnus is preparing to leave. And it’s the last thing Alec wants.

He quickly unfolds his long limbs and jumps up to grab Magnus’ elbow, halting him from picking up the wine glasses. Magnus gives him a curious side eye. “I’m sorry” Alec blurts out. 

“Why?” Magnus asks, drawing out the word.

Alec affords himself the opportunity to be more bold than he feels, “Because I’ve spent the last hour talking about my son when my original plan was to seduce you into staying with me tonight.”

The statement ignites a spark in Magnus’ eyes, one that’s both coy and mischievous. “Oh? A plan of seduction? And how was that supposed to go, Dr. Lightwood?” He picks up the glasses and saunters toward the kitchen. 

Alec follows and begins to collect the dinnerware from the table but his eyes mostly stay on Magnus' ass. 

He joins Magnus at the sink, disposing of the dishes. Nervous fingers run through his hair, “Honestly? It wasn’t so much a plan as it was the inevitable conclusion that I would not be able to keep my hands to myself the entire evening,”

“Well, I think you restrained yourself quite well.” Magnus murmurs. “And I don’t approve.”

He tugs Alec toward him, directly into a heated kiss. Alec seizes the opportunity to run his hand up the firm chest he can’t stop fantasizing about. He scrunches the fabric of Magnus’ presumably expensive design tee in his fists and roughly yanks him closer. Magnus’ grips Alec’s hips and maneuvers him against the center island, gripping his butt and lifting him up onto its surface. Alec’s breath hitches. The action is totally unexpected and so incredibly hot. 

From here, Alec has to lean further down to keep his mouth on Magnus. His hands stay clenched in Magnus’ shirt pulling him forward and up so Alec can nip and kiss at his sharp jawline. The angle is awkward but Alec does not care. He brackets Magnus’ waist with his thighs, holding the man in place and Magnus groans and tilts his head to allow Alec’s lips and teeth more space to explore. Then his hands begin to map a path from Alec’s thighs to his knees and back. Alec is keenly aware of the heat of those palms that circle, massage and grip along the way. It leaves a trail of tingling friction. Alec can’t help but press his hips forward seeking it elsewhere.

Working his way back up Magnus’ neck, Alec gives him a bruising kiss, licking into his mouth before pulling away. The two pause, foreheads pressed together, panting for oxygen. In a hushed voice, Alec half asks, half pleads, “Stay?”

Magnus moans out a low reply, “I have been desperately hoping for that invitation all night, Alexander.” He kisses Alec deeply, sucking at his bottom lip. “Be assured you will not need to handcuff me to your bed to convince me to sleep with you.”

Alec throws his head back laughing while Magnus tips forward chucking into Alec’s chest. Alec finally hops down, lightly shoves Magnus out of the kitchen, steering him toward the bedroom, both still giggling shamelessly.

**Author's Note:**

> I only know a superficial amount of information on the foster system in the United States. I've known foster parents and children but what's discussed here is mostly the result of googling.


End file.
